There is a segment of Jets fans who would have liked John Idzik to attack the quarterback position this offseason with a Santa-sized sack full of money in free agency. The wish list really had just one name on it: Jay Cutler.

Among NFL quarterbacks, Cutler divides opinion about as much as anybody. In terms of physical talent, he rates among the league's best passers. In terms of results, well, he's been to the postseason just once yet has been in the NFL since 2006. In Chicago, presumably the news this morning that Cutler reached a seven-year deal with the Bears was met with as many groans as cheers.

Even if the contract talks between Cutler and the Bears dragged on, it seems unlikely the Jets would have been interested. Though the Jets will look at quarterbacks this offseason, they also seem intrigued and pleased with the progress of Geno Smith. Signing Cutler to a long-term deal would have stuck Smith on the sideline.

Cutler wasn't the only guy locked up by the Bears to a long-term contract Thursday. Matt Slauson signed a four-year deal with the team, nixing any chance the guard would return to the Jets this offseason. The reaction among Jets supporters on Twitter was more vocal to news of the Slauson deal.

Granted, there are also plenty of Slauson detractors, but Slauson was not the player with the Jets as a 16-game starter in 2012 as the guy who steadied the Bear's offensive line this season.

The Jets' system two seasons ago skewed toward the run. Slauson's specialty is pass protection. The Bears run a passing-heavy system, and Slauson was a key member of the line that protected the No. 5 passing attack in the NFL last season.

In his fifth season in the NFL, he improved his run blocking as well. ProFootballFocus rated Slauson as the No. 6 guard in the NFL this season. The same NFL analysis website ranked Slauson No. 31 in 2012.

Did the Jets make a mistake by not anticipating this step forward from Slauson? It is difficult to say.

What we do know is that the Jets hired an offensive coordinator, Marty Mornhinweg, during the 2012 offseason who has a tendency to call more passes than runs. In that respect, Slauson — who signed a deal initially with Chicago worth slightly more than the veteran's minimum — was automatically of more value to the Jets due to his specialty in that area.

Secondly, the Jets knew that the guard positions would be tenuous this season. They entered camp with four players competing for two open positions (2012's right guard, Brandon Moore, was also not retained last offseason and eventually retired).

Stephen Peterman, the longest-tenured contestant, was cut in training camp. Vladimir Ducasse, a former second-round pick, took the left guard spot out of camp but ceded it to rookie Brian Winters a month into the season. A tackle in college, Winters struggled to transition to a new position and the NFL simultaneously. The only positive grade he earned in a game from ProFootballFocus came in Sunday's season finale.

Willie Colon, who was signed to a one-year deal last offseason, held down the right guard spot for the entire season. Colon was a positive presence in the locker room, but ranked No. 36 among guards, according to ProFootballFocus, and led the Jets with 12 penalties. That sum is the highest by an offensive lineman in the NFL this season. Colon tore a biceps muscle in the season finale, meaning if the Jets re-sign him they will be spending money on a player who faces four months of recovery before he returns to the field. An under-rated part of Slauson's game was durability. He started the final 48 games of his Jets career.

With the free agent market for guards thin this offseason now that Slauson is gone, the Jets might face another offseason of transition at the position. While it is understandable that the Jets let Slauson walk last offseason, you would bet they wouldn't mind having him on the roster now.